RJ04-Reflective Journal Entry 4- Due Sunday, March 27, 2010==
Most of you have been teaching for several weeks. Patterns are probably beginning to emerge and classroom routines are probably making you feel more comfortable than you were when you started. Can you still see the teacher that you started this semester wanting to be? Are you satisfied that you're actually teaching or are you concerned that you may be getting immersed in playing the "game of school*?" Assess your teaching so far. What are you doing well, and what do you know you need to work on? What evidence are you seeing for both your successes and difficulties? What are you determined to change and why?
At the beginning of this experience I was intimidated and that is not like me at all. I have always challenged myself and was confident about doing so. I was very comfortable at Lincoln Middle and my CT was AMAZING. Just as I was getting confident about my connection with the students and managing the classroom, my time was up. Now I am a bit uneasy, it is a TOTALLY different school setting.
I think I am still planning lessons well, I am ALWAYS researching new ideas and procedures. I am obsessive, as you know, and want everything perfect, down to the minute. In reality the classroom does not work like this and I am coming to terms with it. I only rewrite my lessons ten times instead of twenty times. I do need to work on classroom management and time management, high school is totally different. The students are enjoying how I show the content using an array of different mediums. I know this because they told me so. I enjoy doing so because that is what worked for me.
At Tolman I am just learning all of the needs of my students and this is the first time I am faced with ESL students, it is a challenge. Working in the city is a challenge in itself and a little shocking. I want it to be more than just going through motions, these kids deserve it. Although I have taken all sorts of classes on child/adolescent development I am still learning how to understand them. I am using the knowledge gained through my "student inventory " to accomodate learner styles.
I want to save the world and I need to get over that, but it is very hard because that is how I have always been. Sometimes the correcting is a little hectic, especially when you collect 3 different items from one class and have a unit test in another, but it will work (never again).
I am very organized and enthusiastic, but sometimes my patience runs out. I am told it is normal but I would like to still work on it.
I am learning every day, and this is helping mold me into a hopeful teacher. I have seen so much in the past 9 weeks and I am eager to pursue my career.
I CAN still see the teacher that I want to be!
Most of you have been teaching for several weeks. Patterns are probably beginning to emerge and classroom routines are probably making you feel more comfortable than you were when you started. Can you still see the teacher that you started this semester wanting to be? Are you satisfied that you're actually teaching or are you concerned that you may be getting immersed in playing the "game of school*?" Assess your teaching so far. What are you doing well, and what do you know you need to work on? What evidence are you seeing for both your successes and difficulties? What are you determined to change and why?
At the beginning of this experience I was intimidated and that is not like me at all. I have always challenged myself and was confident about doing so. I was very comfortable at Lincoln Middle and my CT was AMAZING. Just as I was getting confident about my connection with the students and managing the classroom, my time was up. Now I am a bit uneasy, it is a TOTALLY different school setting.
I think I am still planning lessons well, I am ALWAYS researching new ideas and procedures. I am obsessive, as you know, and want everything perfect, down to the minute. In reality the classroom does not work like this and I am coming to terms with it. I only rewrite my lessons ten times instead of twenty times. I do need to work on classroom management and time management, high school is totally different. The students are enjoying how I show the content using an array of different mediums. I know this because they told me so. I enjoy doing so because that is what worked for me.
At Tolman I am just learning all of the needs of my students and this is the first time I am faced with ESL students, it is a challenge. Working in the city is a challenge in itself and a little shocking. I want it to be more than just going through motions, these kids deserve it. Although I have taken all sorts of classes on child/adolescent development I am still learning how to understand them. I am using the knowledge gained through my "student inventory " to accomodate learner styles.
I want to save the world and I need to get over that, but it is very hard because that is how I have always been. Sometimes the correcting is a little hectic, especially when you collect 3 different items from one class and have a unit test in another, but it will work (never again).
I am very organized and enthusiastic, but sometimes my patience runs out. I am told it is normal but I would like to still work on it.
I am learning every day, and this is helping mold me into a hopeful teacher. I have seen so much in the past 9 weeks and I am eager to pursue my career.
I CAN still see the teacher that I want to be!